Blog Post #3: Literature, Meaning, and Interpretation

In the chapter of “Literature, Meaning, and Interpretation”, Culler argues that language, which is used to present meaning, is not pre-existing, on contrary, the meaning of language is given by various interpretations of human, that makes language meaningful. Therefore, literature is not just about reading words or sentences, but thinking what information and emotion writer wants to pass to readers. On one hand, culler mentions that meaning should not be determined by words. Language as a sign of convention, is restricting the expression of writer and reader’s comprehension, idea and imaginary are limited because language too rigid to deliver them. On the other hand, while reading a literature, analyze writer’s situation and feeling is crucial, because without it, different meaning might be delivered to reader cause misunderstanding. A good lecture can be more likely to cause a positive respond to reader, however, it is normal to say reader might have different views on the same lecture. As well as writer, reader also have their own culture, experiences, and values that shape their personality, that makes even a language might have different meaning to them. As a result, reading is like an unknown chemistry reaction, when writer and reader’s idea crash together, you have no idea what would come out eventually.

In my view, I am most interested in is that if language is created to deliver meaning, then meaning should not be bounded by words, but what if we create new words or languages to help us express and understand better, how do we deliver the exactly same meaning or felling to everyone?